The present invention relates generally to the application of catheters for angioplasty procedures. More particularly, the present invention relates to a balloon catheter for treating diffuse disease localized in tortuous blood vessels.
In a typical coronary catheter procedure, a balloon catheter is first introduced into the cardiovascular system of a patient through the brachial or femoral artery and is advanced therein until a balloon of the catheter is disposed adjacent a treatment site of the coronary artery to be treated. The catheter is twisted and torqued from its proximal end, nearest the user, to turn its distal tip so that it can be guided to the treatment site. By way of example a percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) catheter procedure is considered. The treatment site may contain a diseased portion partially occluded by an atheroma. In the case of a PTCA catheter procedure, the balloon is positioned across the atheroma. Once in position, the balloon of the catheter is inflated to a predetermined size to radially dilate the vessel and compress the atheroma. This increases effective diameter of the previously occluded blood vessel. The balloon is then deflated so that the catheter can be removed and blood flow resumed through the dilated artery or blood vessel.
Other catheter procedures make use of catheter balloons. In addition to the dilation catheter, catheters are used in radiotherapy, drug delivery, stent placement and other procedures, including non-coronary procedures.
Conventional catheter balloons possess several disadvantages. For example, most dilation, radiotherapy, drug-delivery, and stent placement catheters utilize a single balloon that is continuous, tube-shaped, and usually greater than ten millimeters in length. Upon inflation in a vessel region or treatment site that is naturally curved, the long shape of the balloon places an uneven distribution of expansive stress throughout the vessel and can cause the vessel to straighten. The stress applied to the vessel walls in this manner can result in vessel trauma and procedural complications. Such trauma can include damage to endothelial cells during insertion, inflation, and withdrawal of the balloon and catheter. This damage can encourage the formation of atheromas discouraging the purpose of the procedure and impeding blood flow. Therefore, what is needed is a catheter balloon arrangement for treatment of a tortuous vessel.
In an embodiment of the invention a catheter balloon arrangement includes an elongated catheter body portion. First and second spiraled balloons are provided about the elongated catheter body portion.
In another embodiment a catheter balloon arrangement includes a catheter body portion. First and second spiraled balloons with first and second apexes are coupled to the catheter body portion. A pitch length between the apexes encourages tortuous compatibility between the catheter balloon arrangement and a tortuous body lumen.
A method of the invention includes advancing an embodiment of a catheter balloon arrangement through a body lumen in a deflated state. The catheter balloon arrangement is inflated and treatment provided to the body lumen.